


Winter's Worry

by archaeologist_d



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angst, Gen, Winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-10
Updated: 2016-11-10
Packaged: 2018-08-30 03:00:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8515957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/archaeologist_d/pseuds/archaeologist_d
Summary: Every winter, Merlin worries about Arthur coming back too soon.





	

Merlin hated winter. It wasn't so much the biting cold or snow storming across the lake or the endless isolation as he lay huddled in his cottage waiting out the chill. It wasn't the howling of the winds or the bare trees or the icy night sky. Those Merlin could accept. It was the natural rhythm of the seasons after all. He knew that when winter was done, spring would blossom again and there would be flowers and sweet grass and birds singing.

But when winter came, the lake froze. Sometimes it was deep enough that the ice almost touched the bottom. He was sure that the villagers, gathering ice for summer's ease, cutting and storing it in hay and shelter, were happy when the water thickened and froze. It would mean cool drinks and unruined meat in summer.

Merlin worried, though, about Arthur, about the lake. Worried that when Arthur awoke from destiny's sleep, if Merlin weren't there to help him, Arthur would be trapped under the ice. He worried that Arthur wouldn't be able to claw his way out, that he'd die again underneath winter's thrall, and Merlin wouldn't know until the ice melted and the lake was free again and Arthur's body rose to the surface at last.

It was ridiculous, of course. With all of Kilgharrah's promises of a king returned, even fate would not be so cruel as to bring Arthur back only to drown him again before he drew a second's breath.  

But Merlin couldn't get it out of his head. Once thought, it was never unthought.

And so every day when he wasn't driven to shelter by harsh storms and thick snow, Merlin scanned the lake for frost, for water settling into ice, and prayed to the gods above, for an early spring.

**Author's Note:**

> I know it doesn't sound like this has anything to do with separation but I was inspired by an art piece from Coinelot's calendar of Merlin looking through the ice to see Arthur staring back at him. Artwork by fruttayo. http://68.media.tumblr.com/e40dd13c0b4b2b244783214abb94cfb6/tumblr_ofehwbpzim1tpxjufo1_1280.jpg
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own the BBC version of Merlin; It and Shine do. I am very respectfully borrowing them with no intent to profit. No money has changed hands. No copyright infringement is intended.


End file.
